Differences in maternal behavior and early life development of silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) selectively bred for tame or aggressive behaviors towards humans

During early life altricial species undergo rapid growth, with parental behaviors playing a pivotal role in shaping offspring behavior and physiology. In domestic dogs, post-natal development has been extensively studied, with differences existing between the behavioral development of dogs and their wild ancestors, wolves. However, tracing the origin of this divergence is difficult as dogs have been selected for countless traits since their domestication began. In contrast, the silver fox, a relative of the domestic dog, was domesticated in a controlled experiment by strictly selecting farm-bred foxes for tame response to humans. To examine whether selection for tameness is linked to changes in early life behavior, we observed nine tame and nine aggressive females and their litters using motion-activated trail cameras from the 24th-40th days of the kits’ lives. The videos were scored for the presence or absence of the mothers and kits in the exterior cage. Ethograms were developed for detailed analysis of their behaviors. We found that aggressive mothers were alone in the exterior cage more often than tame mothers, leaving the kits in the nest box. Conversely, tame kits left the nest box and were more active earlier than aggressive kits. These results demonstrate that selection for tameness has cascading effects on the social behaviors of both mothers and kits, suggesting a common genetic basis for these behaviors.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Animal Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Beckfield, Samantha

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kukekova, Anna
• Roca, Alfred
• Condotta, Isabella

• Postnatal Development
• Maternal Behavior
• Canids, Foxes
• Domestication

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Samantha Beckfield and the Kukekova Lab

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130114

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F130114